Recently, I witnessed a fascinating exchange between two business owners that perfectly illustrated how our mindset creates our reality. One entrepreneur, let's call him Alex, had built a successful operational consulting practice but found himself trapped by his own thinking patterns. When discussing pricing, he mentioned charging clients $200 per hour—a rate that, while respectable, had become his mental ceiling.

This observation cuts to the heart of how our beliefs shape our business outcomes. Carol Dweck's research at Stanford University demonstrates that our mindsets—how we perceive our abilities—play a key role in motivation and achievement, with students who believed their intelligence could be developed significantly outperforming those who believed their intelligence was fixed.

The conversation revealed a deeper truth about how we unconsciously limit ourselves. Psychologist Robert M. describes beliefs as "like filters on a camera"—what we 'see' is a function of the filters through which we view our subject, profoundly influencing our personality and defining ourselves as worthy or worthless, powerful or powerless.

Alex's advisor pointed out something profound: "There isn't that much separating you from that version of yourself, aside from how you describe yourself." This aligns with research showing that limiting beliefs are states of mind that restrict us, often coming from negativity and fear that prevent us from experiencing new opportunities.

The conversation revealed a striking pattern in how successful professionals approach pricing. The advisor shared insights from coaching industry research: coaches who charge by the hour consistently earn significantly less than those who don't set hourly rates—often by a factor of five.

This isn't just about pricing strategy; it's about mindset architecture. Strategic Coach research identifies that entrepreneurs with abundance mindsets see endless room for growth, while scarcity mindsets suggest everything is becoming smaller and more limited.

The Scarcity Approach:

The Abundance Approach:

The language we use literally constructs our reality. The advisor noted that successful consulting firms like McKinsey and Bain don't include "consulting" in their names—they avoid labels that can diminish perceived value. Strategic Coach identifies 12 contrasting distinctions between abundance and scarcity language, showing how substituting abundance terms for scarcity terms creates "immediate acceleration of entrepreneurial clarity, confidence, and capability".

Consider these reframes:

One of the most powerful moments in the conversation came when discussing the concept of exponential growth versus linear thinking. Alex was contemplating whether to invest $36,000 in an elite executive assistant—a decision that revealed his scarcity-based thinking patterns.

Research shows that abundance mindsets foster optimism and promote the idea that there is enough success for everyone, while scarcity mindsets create anxiety and fear of missing out, leading to decisions based on fear rather than opportunity.

The advisor's perspective was transformative: "If I were you, as soon as you have $20,000 liquid, invest the remaining $16,000 from savings and get this executive assistant because you're going to have 10 johns. Whatever effort it took you to get that $36,000, you're going to have over a quarter million, if not half a million."

What's happening neurologically when we shift from scarcity to abundance thinking? Research indicates that scarcity mindset causes hyperfixation and leads to short-term coping instead of long-term problem-solving, while abundance mindset enables broader perspective and better decision-making.

Studies suggest that roughly 40% of people naturally possess a growth mindset, meaning organizations have tremendous untapped potential if they can nurture this mindset in more employees.

Based on the conversation and supporting research, here are actionable strategies for shifting from limitation to expansion:

Monitor your self-talk and business communications. Replace:

Research on money mindset shows that abundance thinking leads to more aggressive strategies that allow individuals to "pack more into each and every year of life". View expenses as investments in capacity building rather than costs to minimize.

Set goals that feel slightly unrealistic. Studies show that abundance mindset encourages embracing opportunities and taking calculated risks, leading to greater achievements in both personal and professional endeavors.

Research indicates that spending time with people who have an abundance mindset has a positive influence on how you see the world. Curate your peer group intentionally.

The most striking element of the conversation was witnessing how quickly mindset shifts can create new possibilities. When Alex's advisor suggested he could be charging enterprise clients $250,000 for quarterly engagements, it wasn't about capability—it was about permission to think differently.

Leadership research shows the difference between leaders who operate from scarcity (believing everything is the last opportunity) versus abundance (trusting themselves to create what they need to succeed).

The conversation between these entrepreneurs illuminates a fundamental truth: our mindset doesn't just influence our results—it literally constructs the reality within which we operate. Psychological research confirms that it's possible to consciously change how we think about ourselves, reframing unhelpful beliefs and building more confidence to achieve goals.

The question isn't whether you have limiting beliefs—we all do. The question is whether you're ready to examine them, challenge them, and construct a new operating system for your business and life.

As the advisor noted in closing: "Motion creates data. If you're busy, you'll see kind of where you're supposed to be."

The invitation is simple: start moving toward the version of yourself that operates from abundance rather than scarcity. Your future self—and your business results—will thank you.

What mindset shifts could unlock exponential growth in your business? The research suggests the answer lies not in what you do, but in how you think about what's possible.

Alan Lazaros | Episode 25

What happens when an engineer applies systematic thinking to the messy business of human achievement? You get Alan Lazaros—a man who transformed personal tragedy into a blueprint for success that challenges everything we've been taught about "having it all."

At age 2, Alan lost his father in a car accident. At 26, after surviving a nearly fatal car crash himself, he questioned everything about his life trajectory. This pivotal moment led him to abandon a successful corporate career and co-found Next Level University, now a global top 100 podcast with over 1,500 episodes, listened to in 150+ countries.

But Alan's most provocative insight isn't about resilience—it's about a paradox that turns conventional goal-setting wisdom on its head.

The Big Idea: Going "all in" on ONE thing is the fastest path to achieving everything else.

This flies in the face of modern productivity culture, which preaches balance and multiple goal pursuit. Yet Alan's engineering mind discovered what James Clear calls "The Paradox of Focus": "Make the most of one opportunity and more opportunities come your way. Moving boldly in one direction and more paths will unfold before you".

Research supports this counterintuitive approach. Studies on mastery show that extraordinary results are directly determined by how narrow you can make your focus, with consistent daily practice in one area producing exponential rather than linear growth.

One of Alan's most jarring revelations: You're either successful OR fulfilled, not both.

This isn't pessimism—it's systems thinking. The paradox of success research shows that achieving too much can become a burden rather than a blessing, with high achievers often feeling hollow despite external accomplishments. The constant pressure to achieve more leads to what psychologists call "the achiever's paradox"—a disconnect between outer accomplishments and inner fulfillment.

Alan experienced this firsthand during his company's most successful year, celebrating 119% growth while nearly losing everything that mattered. The lesson? Success metrics and life satisfaction operate on different systems entirely.

Perhaps Alan's most powerful metaphor is viewing your life as a self-driving car. Most people are passengers, unconsciously heading toward whatever destination their conditioning programmed. But high achievers take the wheel—they become intentional about their direction.

This connects to his core philosophy about responsibility: "It wasn't my fault my dad died, but this is my responsibility." This distinction between fault and responsibility became a foundational principle in his approach to personal development.

Alan's business story offers a masterclass in sustainable scaling. Despite achieving 119% growth, he discovered what he calls "The McDonald's Principle"—systems matter more than intensity. Without proper systems, even extraordinary growth can lead to collapse rather than expansion.

This insight challenges the startup mentality of "grow at all costs" and supports research showing that the relentless pursuit of success can lead to burnout, with productivity and creativity suffering when we constantly push ourselves to the limit.

Here's Alan's practical solution to the focus paradox:

The genius? You only actively pursue ONE at a time, while maintaining the others. This approach leverages what mastery research calls "deliberate practice"—focused, consistent effort in a single domain produces better results than divided attention across multiple areas.

In an era of infinite possibilities and constant comparison, Alan's framework offers something rare: permission to choose.

Research on fulfillment shows that true satisfaction lies beyond external achievements—it's found by making a positive impact on others, fostering meaningful relationships, and embracing personal growth. Alan's approach provides a systematic way to achieve this without sacrificing success.

Alan debunks the "follow your passion" mythology with engineer precision. Passion without systems leads to frustration. Success without purpose leads to emptiness. The sweet spot? Strategic focus on what serves both achievement and meaning.

This aligns with Joe Rogan's observation that success is never "easy"—but it can be systematic.

Alan Lazaros proves that engineering principles can solve human problems. His framework isn't just theory—it's been tested through tragedy, triumph, and everything in between. With Next Level University reaching millions globally, his systematic approach to human potential has found its audience.

The paradox he presents is deceptively simple: To get more, focus on less. But as any engineer will tell you, the simplest solutions often require the most sophisticated thinking.

Ready to apply the focus paradox to your own goals? Start by identifying your current "one thing"—the single area where concentrated effort would create the biggest ripple effect across everything else.

What's your one thing going to be?

Listen now → Spotify | Apple | YouTube

David Lovejoy

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Ready to Break Through Your Own Success Paradox?

Alan Lazaros transformed personal tragedy into systematic success—from engineering precision to building a global platform that impacts millions. His framework of focusing on "one thing" while maintaining the others demonstrates how strategic coaching can unlock exponential growth without sacrificing fulfillment. Whether you're caught in the achiever's paradox, struggling to balance multiple goals, or ready to engineer your own breakthrough, the right coach can help you develop the systems that create lasting transformation.

Discover your perfect coaching match at CoachFinder.ai

Get matched with top-tier coaches who specialize in:

Just like Alan learned that going "all in" on one thing unlocks everything else, find the coach who can help you identify your breakthrough focus area and build the systems to support exponential growth in all areas of life.